Styron to invest in expandable polystyrene, rubber and Asia

BERLIN (ICIS)--Styron intends to expand its market activity in expandable polystyrene (EPS), rubber products and its overall position in ?xml:namespace>Asia, a senior executive said on Wednesday.

“We have a small position in EPS – it’s not been a focus within [Dow Chemical]. We have some work to do to elevate it to a position we feel comfortable with,” said Jeff Denton, Styron’s vice president for feedstocks and corporate services.

Denton was responding to questions after a speech to delegates at the ninth ICIS European Aromatics and Derivatives Conference in Berlin, Germany.

Outlining the expansion priorities that Styron, the styrenics company spun off from Dow Chemical, would be tackling in the near future, he said: “We can’t take on too much too fast. Product innovation: we’ve had a number in the pipeline…you’ll see a number of products launched.”

“We will invest in rubber products – that’s one area of focus for us.”

“And geographically, there’s some work to be done, particularly in Asia. That’s the sequence [in which] you will see activity,” he said.

“We have a set of assets in Asia. Products there are clearly underdeveloped,” he added.

Bain Capital acquired Styron from Dow Chemical in a $1.63bn (€1.22bn) deal that closed in June.

The ninth European Aromatics and Derivatives Conference takes place in Berlin from 23-24 November.